Harness



(No Model.) l

D. M. FORSYTH.

HARNESS. No. 523,981. Patented Aug. 7, 1894.

//////////////r/ WW A l vUNrrnn STATESPATENT rines.

DANIEL M. roRsYTH, or FRANKLIN, INDIANA.

HARNESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 523,981, dated August7, 1894.

I Application filed February 10,18945. Serial No. 499.770. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, DANIEL M. FORSYTIL a citizen of the United States,residing at Frankl1 n,1n the county of Johnson and State of Indiana,have invented a new and useful Holdback, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to a hold-back for harness; and has for its objectto provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficientdevice, which may beapplied to the ordinary harness without change of thelatter; and toprovide means for adjusting the position of the hold-back with relationto the shaft of the vehicle, whereby the length of the horse may beaccom mo'- dated.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing description, and thenovel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawingsz-Figure 1 is aperspective vlew of a hold-back embodyingmyinvention applied in the operative position to a shaft. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a transversesection. Fig. et is a detail view of the hook which is attached to thefront end of the tug or rear portion of the trace. Fig. 5 is a similarview of the double loop by which the breast-strap or front portion ofthe trace is connected to the breaching or hold-back strap and by whichthe connection is formed with the tug. Fig. 6 is a detail view inperspective of the key reversed to show the groove in the side adjacentto the shaft. Fig.7 is a perspective View.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings. f

l represents a shaft, to the inner and under sides of which is securedthe angular plate 2, said plate being provided at its upper edge with arabbet 3, Aand 4. represents a slide mounted upon said plate andprovided with inturned Iianges 6, the upper of which engages said rabbetin the upper edge of the plate, and the lower of which engages the outeredge of the horizontal leaf of said plate. This slide is cut away at thecenter of its inner side to form an opening 7, which is spanned by theremovable key 8 fitting in registering sockets 9, which are alignedlongitudinal of the slide and are arranged upon opposite sides of saidopening therein. This key is held in place by a thumb-spring 10.

l1 represents the tug or rear portion of the trace, which is provided atits front end with a flat hook l2 arranged in theopening of the bar 18,which is adapted when the parts are connected for operation to engagethe hook at the front end of the tug. When the parts are in operativeposition the key passes through the loops, forming the double loop, andthus prevents detachment and displacement Without interfering wit-h alimited forward and rearward movement of the double loop to accommodatethe movements of the horse. Attached to the rear loop of the double loopis the breeching or hold-back strap 19. The key is provided in its rearor outer side with a longitudinal groove 20, which receives the free endof the hook 0u the front end of the tug, whereby when the double loop isdrawn to the rear end of the opening in the slide, as in descendinggrades,'the parts will be held in aligned positions, whereby when theforward draft ofthe horse is resumed the cross-bar of the double loopwill pass without obstruction into the hook. The slide is held in thedesired position upon the guide-plate by means of a set-screw 21.

In applying the improved hold-back to harness the trace, whichordinarily extends from the breast-collar to the whifietree, is simplydivided at the point where the hold-back is to be inserted, thedescribed hook is attached to lthe front end of the rear portion of thetrace, and the double loop is attached to the rear end of the frontportion of the trace and tothe breeching of the hold-back strap. Thehook on the front end of the tug is held permanently in the slide, andtherefore to hitch the horse it is necessary simply to place thecross-,bar of the V-shaped or angular double-1 IOO loop in the openingin the slide and insert the key to engage or pass through the loopsthereof.

It will be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, andthe minor details of construction may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit of theinvention or sacrificing any of the advantagesthereof.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In ahold-back, thecombination of a hook attached to the front end of the tug, adouble loopconnecting the breast strap and the breeching and having a cross-bar toengage said hook, and means for holding said parts in engagement andguiding the same to a1- low longitudinal movement, substantially asspecified.

2. In a hold-back, the combination of a guide-plate fixed to a shaft, aslide mounted upon said guide-plate and provided with a set-screw tolock the same at the desired adjustment, and connections between thetug, breeching and breast-strap and said slide, Substantially asspecified.

3. In a hold-back, the combination with a slide, and means for securingthe same to a shaft, of a hook attached to the front end of the tug, anangular double loop forming the connection between the breast-strap andthe breeching and having a cross-bar to engage said hook, and a keyfitting removably in the slide to hold said double loop in operativerelation with the hook, substantiallyas specified.

4. In a l1old-back, the combination with a slide, and means forattaching the same to a shaft, of a hook attached to the front end ofthe tug and arranged in an opening of the slide, a double loop formingthe connection between the breast-strap and the breeching and having across-bar to engage said hook, Ythe opening in the slide being adaptedto allow forward and rearward movement of said double loop, a keyfitting removably in registering sockets in the slide, spanning the saidopening, and provided with a groove to receive the extremity of the hookon the tug, and means to secure said key in place, substantially asspecified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL M. FORSYTII.

Witnesses:

W. T. Partner-IARD, STRATHER I-InRoD.

